1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to protective apparatuses for human backbones and, more particularly, to a columnar protective apparatus for human backbones, designed to protect the normal backbone of a user by preventing the backbone from being twisted or deformed when the user sleeps or takes a rest, or orthopedically correct the deformed backbone of a patient having spinal deformities to the desired normal and natural shape of the spine when the patient continuously uses the protective apparatus for a predetermined lengthy period of time while sleeping or taking a rest.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, the human backbone protects the spinal cord, which is a soft, fatty and vascular tissue extending from the brain into the interior cavity of the backbone. The spinal cord is a part of the central nervous system, and connects the autonomic nervous system, branching from the spinal cord through the spinal nerves and innervating all the human organs, such as the eyes, nose, heart, stomach, viscera, kidney, and liver, to the brain that is the other part of the central nervous system. The spinal cord thus transfers external information obtained by the organs to the brain and transmits commands from the brain to the autonomic nervous system to control and coordinate the physical actions of the organs. The backbone also functions as a support, which helps to maintain the proper posture.
In a brief description, the human backbone functions as a spinal protector for protecting the spinal cord, which constitutes the central nervous system in combination with the brain, and controls and coordinates the vital actions of the human organs. The human backbone also functions as a support helping to maintain the body""s posture. It is thus necessary for people to maintain the normal and natural shape of their backbones in an effort to preserve their health. The human backbones also function as girders supporting weight of the upper body.
Such a human backbone has a smoothly-curved S-shaped profile, and consists of four vertebral portions, that is: a cervical vertebral portion including the first to seventh cervical vertebrae; a thoracic vertebral portion including the first to twelfth thoracic vertebrae; a lumbar vertebral portion including the first to fifth lumbar vertebrae; and a sacral vertebral portion including the sacrum and the coccyx.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a protective apparatus for human backbones, which is appropriately determined in its dimensions, including the width and length, such that it effectively prevents the backbones of users, from infants to adults, from being twisted or deformed, and maintains the balanced body postures of the users.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective apparatus for human backbones, which has a columnar shape with a circular or polygonal cross-section suitable for preventing the normal backbone of a user, regardless of whether the user is an infant or an adult, from being twisted or deformed when the user sleeps or takes a rest, or suitable for orthopedically correcting the deformed backbone of a patient having spinal deformities to the desired normal and natural shape of the spine when the patient continuously uses the protective apparatus for a predetermined lengthy period of time.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a protective apparatus for human backbones, which is made of an appropriate suitable material.
In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a protective apparatus for infant or adult backbones, which is designed to have an appropriate shape and size suitable for use by an infant or adult user. A user lies on a support surface with the protective apparatus held in the user""s arms while sleeping or taking a rest. The apparatus thus prevents the normal backbone from being twisted or deformed, or orthopedically corrects the deformed backbone to the desired normal and natural shape of the spine.